Simply Me
Monday, June 30, 2008
Travelogues Part 1
18 hours after leaving Pune, I am still in Mumbai. Moreover I’m at the Intercontinental… Some of my friends had asked me to take pics of everything so that I almost have a photo diary… so though the diary needs to start at the airport, I obviously couldn’t take any pics there.
However, I can start by writing about the airport. My flight was at 11 p.m. Reporting time 8 p.m. I reached the airport at 6 p.m. Lots of calling people… Then I curled up with a book… At 8 p.m. I joined the line for check in… To cut a long story short, baggage screening, reporting, baggage check-in and being bumped to Business class from economy and a wait at the gate 16 for my flight later, we ended up in the plane… After about half an hour, we were told that 11 passengers who had checked-in were still missing. After they were escorted to the plane and an hour after the stipulated hour to leave, we were told by the pilot that there were some electrical problems. Please enjoy beverages… My neighbour was fast asleep from the time he sat at his seat. Another hour later another announcement… Hot meal would be served… The ground staff would be assisting us further... and we would disembark soon… At around 1.30 a.m., about 15-20 minutes from the time we were supposed to be in Abu Dhabi, we disembarked… Off to the Intercontinental for a halt… The hotel room is beautiful…
So now some important things… people I need to appreciate… the ground staff of Etihad… In a situation where, there were no systems, they co-coordinated really well when we were checking in… the counter was new… they had no computers… they had to confirm everything by mobile phones… the air hostess was all smiles and really sweet who managed the irate passengers really well (or maybe that had something to do with the fact that it was Business Class)… my manager Prashant Shah… a ray of hope really… He normally works in the Americas shift, but was ill and at home yesterday when I called him at 12 am in order to get word across to Ajit sir, who was to pick me up at Heathrow… I knew calling amma would be a waste… she would lay awake worrying… unfortunately I woke Prashant sir and unfortunately he stayed awake with worry… "Don’t worry," he said… I have family in Mumbai who can pick you up if necessary… “Don’t worry about Abu Dhabi either… I have my gang there…” It was really encouraging… Its one thing to know that the airways need to take care of everything, but to have someone say “Don’t worry... call anytime” is a whole different thing…
Well leaving now for lunch... the internet doesn’t seem to be working in the room… So just saving this as a draft.
Note: This was originally written on the day after I left Pune... the 19th I think... I am in Ealidng, UK since about 10 days now... I'll write about how that came about and the sights I saw soon (hopefully)
However, I can start by writing about the airport. My flight was at 11 p.m. Reporting time 8 p.m. I reached the airport at 6 p.m. Lots of calling people… Then I curled up with a book… At 8 p.m. I joined the line for check in… To cut a long story short, baggage screening, reporting, baggage check-in and being bumped to Business class from economy and a wait at the gate 16 for my flight later, we ended up in the plane… After about half an hour, we were told that 11 passengers who had checked-in were still missing. After they were escorted to the plane and an hour after the stipulated hour to leave, we were told by the pilot that there were some electrical problems. Please enjoy beverages… My neighbour was fast asleep from the time he sat at his seat. Another hour later another announcement… Hot meal would be served… The ground staff would be assisting us further... and we would disembark soon… At around 1.30 a.m., about 15-20 minutes from the time we were supposed to be in Abu Dhabi, we disembarked… Off to the Intercontinental for a halt… The hotel room is beautiful…
So now some important things… people I need to appreciate… the ground staff of Etihad… In a situation where, there were no systems, they co-coordinated really well when we were checking in… the counter was new… they had no computers… they had to confirm everything by mobile phones… the air hostess was all smiles and really sweet who managed the irate passengers really well (or maybe that had something to do with the fact that it was Business Class)… my manager Prashant Shah… a ray of hope really… He normally works in the Americas shift, but was ill and at home yesterday when I called him at 12 am in order to get word across to Ajit sir, who was to pick me up at Heathrow… I knew calling amma would be a waste… she would lay awake worrying… unfortunately I woke Prashant sir and unfortunately he stayed awake with worry… "Don’t worry," he said… I have family in Mumbai who can pick you up if necessary… “Don’t worry about Abu Dhabi either… I have my gang there…” It was really encouraging… Its one thing to know that the airways need to take care of everything, but to have someone say “Don’t worry... call anytime” is a whole different thing…
Well leaving now for lunch... the internet doesn’t seem to be working in the room… So just saving this as a draft.
Note: This was originally written on the day after I left Pune... the 19th I think... I am in Ealidng, UK since about 10 days now... I'll write about how that came about and the sights I saw soon (hopefully)
Labels: Musafir hoon yaaron...
posted by Tejaswini Shenoy at 11:02 PM
2 Comments:
Air travels are like that..
So enjoying London?
I thought u were still at the airport even on 30th June. :P later when I read the last part, i came to know :P ;)
You might as well visit the Queen, and make a reality out of our nursery rhymes :D :D :D
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